Internal-combustion engine.



1N1EENAE EOMEUSTION ENE1NE,

APPLICATION FILED DBC,

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET '1y E. H. BELDEN.

E. H. HELDEN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTXON ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEL', 2E, 1911.

Am 1%.. w

E. H. BELDEN.

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENfJ'mE4 APPLICATION FILED DEG.2G.1911.

19120674 Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3` iiilliliilii STTSTENY TFCE.

EQWJARD H. BELDEN, Ol? PITTSBURGH, HENNSYLVANLA, ASSIGNOR '120 BELDEN ENGNEEBNG COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION 0F INTEBNIJ-COMBUSTION ENG-ENE.

Speciiicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 319141.

To all 105mm it may concern Be it known that EDWARD Hann Ben DEN, e citizen of the United States, and a resident of ittsburgli, county of Allegheny, und State of Pennsylvanie., have invented certain new and useful improvements in nternalomhustion Engines, of which the following is o specification.

. My invention relates to internal combustion engines; and has particular reference` to improvements in the` valves sind valve earing of internal combustion engines o the fou r-cycle type.

`use and to substitute therefor a mmimum number or large substantial parts that con not easily bebroken, that will oder the'least possible resistance tothe operation of. the engine, and which will weer indetinitely without being reground or reiitted.

A 'special object of myinvention is to provide an engine of the class named with o, nonvibrntory, constantly lubricated admission nnd exhaust valve und to maintain it at o low temperature protected from the hot gases of the cylinder.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide :in internal combustion engine having n cylinder which contains both the cylinder head und the necessary port-controlling means und from which both the head und the. piston may be removed Without disturbing the cylinder or seid port-controlling means or gearing, and from which the valve muy be removed Without disturbing the cylinder or the vulve gearing; and to provide an engine having valves and valve seats which shall be freely accessible upon removal of the cylinder head.

Another object of n: y invention is to preride c-our-cycle engine that may be mede and assembled. dismembnred and reassembled .by ordinary mechanics and in less time than other four-cycle engines.

A further object is to provide vulves und vulve gearing' of such form and arrange' nient that the several cylinders of n. multiple engine may be economically formed in one block or casting.

Still further objects of my invention Will appear hereinafter.

My invention resides in an internal combustion enginegwhich, in its simplest form, has s. single-piece ported cylinder, a. singlepie'ce cylinder head, a single-piece va ve which is incased by the' cylinder and the head, a single valve operating member and n. single actuating and timing device which connects thevalve operating member 'With the crank shaft. f

The-valve requires little power for its operation. The simple structure here outlined is somewhat amplified in thevhigher developments of my invention but even `in its multiple cylinder forms I prefer to use only"l one valve operating member and one driving device.

The invention will be readily understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification sind in which l have depicted a preferred embodiment of my invention in n, six cylinder internal combustion engine.

ln the drawings: Figure 1 is a side ele-- ration of my novel engine, four of the cylinders and parto" the brise being shown in vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is' a horizontal section substantially on the line 2x-2X of Fig. 1. several of the cylinder heads being removed; Fig. 3 is on enlarged vertical section on the -line .3x-3x of Fig. 2; and Fig. l is a similarly enlarged vertical sec-f tion on the lineglH-l;x of Fig. 1.

l have here illustrated my invention es embodied in a water coled multiple cylin der engine of o vertical type particularly adapted for use in automobiles. lts c vlin ders A, six in number', are arranged side by side in o single casting B. Various meanswnny be employed for cooling the cylinder and vulve seats. For example the casting B may contain o. water space or jn`cket (l which is common to all the cylin- 'dors The water space extends from the top il of tho casting tov. point near the lower ends of the cylinders. The bottom B of the cylinder castin is secured upon the top of the buse D. .`he buse contains the crank shntt E shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. 0n one end of the shaft Eis a ily wheel F. The other end of the crank shaft cau-ries i sprocket wheel G the use of which of the cylinder.

'of the-cylinders after the cylinder casting B has been fastened to the base D. yThe headsare larger than the pistons and eachy head rests upon an annularshoulder a?, whichA distinguishes the piston containing portion a3 o1 the cylinder from its head containing portion a". Both cylinder'portionsv v and 'a4 are cylindrical. They are prefera'bly concentric. The portion a* is large enough to contain not only the head' butVr also'the valve K, about to v.be described.

Each head hasan annular flange J that lits the upper part of the cylindrical bore a4.'

The lower end JZ of each head J snugly fits the piston bore a3 of the .cylinder and the annular shoulder J3 of thevhead rests upon 'the cylinder shoulder e2 as before explained.

The upper end of the bore a" of each cylinder is threaded to receive a locking ring L, which is screwedlirinly upon the iangcd top of the head, completing an oil and pressuretight joint between the head and the cylinder at that point. L may be added to'lock the head against rotation. The shoulder A2 of the cylinder and the shoulder lJ3 of the head are ground togetheiand when the head is thus secured the shoulders form an oiland pressure tight joint between the lower ,end ofthe head and the cylinder. lt'will be, observed that the concentricity ofthe cylinder and the head is insured by the close fitting of the upper end and the lower end of the head within the lai-ger and the smaller bores L4 and ai? VThe intermediate portion of leach head J, between the Iliange J and i the shoulder J3, is cylindrical and concentric with the containing bore a4.' lil/hilo this portion, as herein shown, is larger than the piston bore' o, it is somewhat smaller, )than the bore/1,- aiid an annular cavityix having parallel cylindrical walls Vistherefore forii'ied betwcentlu-i cylinder. and the head. "flietoppoli the cavity l1' isforii'icd by the underside ol the head flange J. '.lhe

bottom of the annular cavity is formed by fthe cylinder shoulder n? on which the head rests." All of the walls ot the cavity are- .lincly ground and serve as seats l'or the valve if* f.. ,.f 1.1i "qu iw- 'K is. beiorc ic ici. to. i .c ..i ,es .tic

. simple oue-i'iiere sleeves iii-rings that ei:-

:ictly fit. their respective cavities K. They are intcicliaiigra'lile. 'l'lie iiiiiei' a'nd outer surfaces of each faire liarclinely ground A hey or setA screw Liaogem Aand cylindrical andparallel. The ltop and bottom. edges are also finely ground orl iii ished and are Aparallel and perpendicular to the cylindrical surfaces.

In practice, the cross sectional dimensions ol" the valve K are approximately two thousandths of an inch smaller than the corleaving space for thin films of oil between all the opposed surfaces of the valve, cylinder responding dimensions of the cavityv KQ# and head. Each valve K contains atleast one opening or port K2, the saine being of sufficient size to quickly admit and to,`

As shown in the drawings, l prefer to pro- -quickly free the gases and is positioned about midway of the height of thefvalve.,y

vide each valve with two dianietrically op'- jposite ports K2, so that one revolution of thef valveshall serve for eight successive strokes,

two coii'ipletes power operations,'of the pis-. ton, as hereinafter explained.. Each v.cylin-f der is provided with. an admissionportandpassage Ad and an exhaust port andpassag EX, these being formed in the casting,

The portsAl and EF open into respective..

valve cavitiesK .in position to register with the ports K2 in the valve K. The Width ofH the space between the inlet'and exhaust ports approximately equals the width of the',

port K2 in the valve K. These dimensions may bc considerably varied without depart ing from the inveiitionbut I preferto main-..- tainthe described proportions and relation` ,4.,

for the particular reason 'thatialftcr the valvef,v

has opened to permit the heated gases to ex haust, those portions of the valve whiclia heated by the exhaust gases are almost iin,-

mediate'ly cooled by the in rush of combusti' ble mixture at. thepp'ort Ad. The ltime, be-v tweenztlie exhaust and the admission o't'fmixture is proportionate to the distance that tliefi valve has to travel between the ports and Ad.

In a multi ple'cylin'der engine I prefertopa ythe cylinders and connect the exhaust pas-'I sages E of each pair as shown in Figs. 2 and, Ll. From the points of)uncturetheexhaust pasf sages extend downward and open through. the lower part of the casting B as shownln., Fig. 4, wherein Ex represents the` vertical 'V extension' of the united exhaust portsI of two j cylinders. E? represents the exhaust inaniold of the engine. As indicated in Fig. 2,

I' prefer that the admission passages- Afofmg the several cylinders shallbe independent -and shall open through the outervface of the v ,Y casting above the` exhaust connections. Thej;A passages Allure connected by an admission t manifold A having two connections Alf :indd/l. with a suitable carbureter A. Y Asyl?, liest shown in Fig 3, ea-clrhead il' containsa centi-:1l cavity J4liemispherical at the topV and opening through the bottom of the head.

This curity, which obviouslyl coiniiiunicatesw with the piston continuing portion ab 'of thefl13p0`q.

Lieder/2' cylinder, constitutes the compression and combustion chamber of the engine. A central hole is provided in the top of the head and in this hole is the device for igniting the gases, preferably an electric spark plug M. Two passages J-Ad and J-E are formed in the head. These open through theI valve seat surface of the head, directly and respectively opposite the ports A@ and .Ex in the valve seat surface of the cylinder, hence these passages or ports of the head are in position to register with the ports K2 in the valve K.

The valve operating mechanism is most clearly shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. Each member K is a combined valve and gear wheel; that is, the lower outer edge of each ears operate readily in either direction andf arestituting an integral valve`K sprovide-:l with gear teeth K congear Wheel whereby the valve may be rotrtec in its valve chamber or cavity. The valve operating member is arranged on the side of the engine opposite the side which contains the several admission and exhaust ports. This valve operating member comprises a single shaft N having as many integral gear Wheel portions N as there are valves. Each cylinder is provided with an opening N, at a point opposite the gear teeth on the valve and considerably below the level of the port K in the valve. This opening admits the operating gear N' into mesh vvith the gear teeth upon the valve. Obviously all of the openings AN are arranged in a horizontal line. The shaft N is held in suitable bearings N2 provided on the side of the cylinder casting B as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. Such noiseless. At its end, the shaft N is provided with a sprocket Wheel Nannd this is connected with the sprocket wheel G on the crank shaft by a suitable sprocket chain G. The sprockets G and N, and the sprocket belt vG constitute the driver for the valve operating member or shaft N. The rotation of the crunk shaft is thereby communicated to the several valves, and the latter are rotated constantly during the operation of the crank shaft. The sprockets G and Nu and the gears N and K are so proportioned that the valves are caused to turn one-halt` oi' a revolutionduring each two revolutionsot'- the cranlrshaft. It willbe clear that the rotative speedof the valves is relatively low and that nothing short of the breakage or' one of these heavysubstantial parts can interfere with the proper action of the valve. The va'lve operating shaft and gears are con tained bv a horizontal duct Ofornied in the side of the cylinder casting. B, B4 arc the edges of the ductI (l, integral with the c vlinder fisting B. The opening between them is closed by a vertical plate B5 tightly bolted thereto and making the duct oil'tight. The

duct O and the several valve cavities K are in communication through the openings A N. The sprockets G and N'a and sprocket belt G are inclosed by a casing 1, the upper end of which communicates with the duct() andthe lower end of which communicates with the interior of the engine base D. An oil pump (not shown) forces oil into the duct O. The oil is distributed therefrom to l the several valves by the gear Wheels N and K3. In the case of eachvnlve, its rotation causes the oil to spread upon the outer surface of the valve whence it will work above and below-v the valve and spread upon the in` nei` Isurface thereof. As before .explained the dili'erences of diameter,- between v the valve, the cylinder and the head, are so slight that only minute ilmsof oil ma occupy the spaces. These are in fact capi lary spaces and while the oil will freely Work into and occupy the spaces due to the r0ta tion of the valve within the inclosing walls, the oil cannoteasily be discharged from the spaces by either internal or external pressure. The films of oil constitute fluid packings for the joints. This fact makes it possible to adequatelylubricate the Valves and' inclosing Walls Without danger of gas leakage from or 'to the cylinders at moments of compression, combustion and vacuum therein. It is clear also that it is practically impossible for any surface of the valve to engage any opposed surface upon the head or cylinder except through the medium of this minute film of oil which envelops the valve. In consequence the valve and valve seats ivill operate indefinitelywithout perceptible wear.

As shown in F ig. 3, the upper edge of each valve K is preferably provided With an annular oil groove K for an accumulation of oil, to better distribute the oil upon the inner surface of the vulve. Very little of the oil thus supplied to the valve is Wipedlo' at the ports, the greater part returning to the trough through the openings A N. 'It will thus be seen that the valves'themselves, by reason of being provided Witl'. t. gear teeth K3, constitute oil circuiatin p inps which not only pump the oil from the duct-O into the valve cavities but carry'the oil completely around the Whole circumference of the'cavities and return the surplus oil back into the duct O. This pump action of the., valves insures the positive and thorough lubrication of these parts. The tight joint before alluded to, between the lower end of the head J and the cylinder prevents leakage of, valve oil into the cylinder, a feature whic 1 is of distinct advantage. m As before explained the Water space C 1 Within the cylinder casting extends to the top of the cylinders and cooling water is therefore supplied to all'of the upper parts of the cylinders except those portions or areas which are ocmipicd by the mission to the Well the moments ot and exhaust passages yAll, A", and the gear p strokes of the piston,

openings A N. Ilhe Acooling of the outer walls ot' the valve cavities and the outer portions of the valves is thus insured. Each head .l contains a Water space JW. The watery is supplied and discharged through pipes J", tivo of 'which are provided for each head.- The top of the head contains a depression to admit, and atl'ord easy access to, the liring plug M. The space JW occupies nearly the whole of the head, only thin Walls remaining. Asjoefore described, the head is deeper than the valve K, extending both above and below the same. The water space is likewise deep, its bottom being` preferably be low the level of the valve 1*; and the Water rising therein to a level above the top edge of' the valve. in other Words, 'the 'cooling surface of the valve wall of the head is practically co-extensive with the valve and the maintenance of the valve at a low teni-y perature is positively insured. lt is not material whether these walls which inclose or envelop the valve are cool'ed by Water or by air, or by some other medium; the irnportant point is that the valves and the inclosing v valls are so formed and related that they are quite separate from the-hotter portions of the cylinder and head and are fully exposed to the cooling medium.

The operation ot' tlieengine is according lrnoivniour-cyclc principle and will be clearly ing detailed description of the operation oi its several related 'parts As explained the valves l( of the several engines derive'inotion from the crank shaft. The directions ot lrotation et the valves are indicated by arrows in Fig. :2. The rotation of cach valve is, obvioi-rsly, tixnedto suit thc movements of the piston in its respective cylinder, and opening and closing the ports is determined by the relative positioning of the ports in the cylinder and by the relative width of the ports in the valve and the cylinder. AThe drawings clearly disclose these several relative positions and proportional dimensions. Starting with a valve port K2 in register with the exhaust pdrt,` the action may be traced as follows: rlhc cylinder is cleared or scavengcd while the` exiliaust port E* is open. As the valvclrotates ,the port K is moved away'i'roin the exhaust port' and soon registers with the admissi nl port Ad. At such time. the pistou is movi g rloivn'and'the explosive mixture will ne drawn into thc cylinder. Further rotation of the valve removes the vport K2 from the port fr and closes the latter at about the time the piston begins to n'ioic up again. This upward .stroke compresses the charge which is explmled at about the time` the piston reaches the upper end ol' its stroke.Y Then follows the-downivard power stroke ol" the ling valve but at about the end otffthe' power` lual cylindrical valve in and coaxial' -each cylinder 'for controlling the inletand understood from the torcgo- `oi` said valves fort-he simultaneous rotation last twoiup Iand donn the ports Ad and'Ex 'f are closed by the blank,portion of the reitet#A :l

iston. During these stroke of the piston the valve will have rotated to the point of presenting its other l port K2 to the exhaust port Ex of the cylin- Y der, thus completing the lest of theourjv` cycles and beginning thenext series operatins or cycles. Y i 0 Many modifications of my vinvention will readily suggest themselves to one. who is skilled in the art, and do not ccnlne or limit the invention to the specific details of; construction hereinY show-n and described.' 1: The valvefeonstruction herein 'shown cord 8o: prises the subject matter of my co-pending y application Ser. No. 659,204, and is not here.- in claimed. y

Having claim ,as new ters Patent: f. ll. ln an internal combustion engine', a plurality of parallel cylinders, an individwithgli.

thus described rnyv invention and desire to' secure by Let exhaust of the gases, each cylinder havingl an opening in its wall, a single valve. actrmtor,` entering said openings for siInultaneously` driving said valves and each of saidvalves being removable through its cylinder Without disturbing the valve actuator.

2. ln an internal combustion engine a. plurality oi" parallel cylinders, a lrotatingu valve ivithin each cylinder, each cylinder having an. opening in its wall giving access to the valve therein, a single valve actuator.-

entering all of said openings engaging all.

thereof, and each Said ,valve Jeing capable of being disengaged from `tl1e actuator merely by Withdrawal from its operative` position.

In an internal combustion engine,' a; plurality of parallel cylinders', ay rotatable' sleeve. valve arranged in each cylinderfo'r.. controllingthe inlet and exhaust 'of' the," gases. each cyiinde.- being provided with an' opening through its wall giving access to the valve therein, a unitary actuator enter` ing all ot' said openings and adapted tofrotate all ot said valves simultaneously, and' each said valve being capable of removal 'from its cylinder while theactuator isdn position. J

-1. ln an infernal combustion' engin'e, a` plurality` of cylinders, rotatable vsleeve valves coaxial with respectivecylinders for controlling the inletand exhausto""tl'1e .v gases, each valve having an integral gear onf its periphery, cach of said cylinders having au opening in ils side wall giving access to said gear, and a shaft having a plurality of integral gears, one for nach va'lve,lacl ai ite to enter respect-ive openings and simultane ously rotate all of said va1ves,the valves and worm gears being capable of isengage-ment by simply withdrawing the 'alves from their cylinders.

In an internal combustion engine a single block or casting containing a plurality or" cylinder bores and means suitably closing the upper ends of said bores, in combination with a piston in each said bore, a crank shaft wherewith said pistons are connected, arotatable valve provided in the upper part of each cylinder bore, each said cylinder having admission an@ exhaust ports that are controlled by its valve -and also having an actuator opening, a closed actuator duet formed in said block or cast ing, in communication With'said actuator' openings, a single actuator 'provided in said duet and operating all of said valves, means whereby said actuator rotates said Valves` said means permitting the withdrawal of "elves Without first removing the act-w ator, and means whereby said actuator is driven. by said crank shaft.

(3. in an internal combustion engine a plurality of cylinders, a rotating valvein each cylinder, each cylinder having an opening in ifsivall giving access to the valve therein, au annular gear coaxial with and oper# atively related to each valve, valve actuat! ing gears, ono` for each Valve, projecting' through the openings in the cylinder Walls and engaging the valve gears, a rotating member carrying all of said valve actuating geirs, and each said valve beiner rrnov` able from its cylinder while the Va ve actuating gears are in operative position. A

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my haucl, this 2Q clay of Dec., 1911, in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD H. BELDEN.

vfitnossbs 1 N. J. lar. massoni, T. E. S'ronus. 

